Charles Leclerc claimed the fastest time in Abu Dhabi's F1 test session, while Carlos Sainz impressed with the second-fastest lap in his Williams debut.

Leclerc topped the timesheet with a 1m23.510, outpacing Sainz by 0.125s. The test allowed teams to run two cars: one for rookie drivers with less than two grand prix starts, and another for Pirelli tire testing.

Sainz, fresh from a filming day with Williams on Monday, completed an impressive 146 laps in his first proper run with the FW46. The session provided valuable insight into the differences between the Williams and Ferrari cars, helping identify areas for winter development.

Notable performances included:

• Nico Hulkenberg: Fourth fastest in his Sauber debut (1m23.789)
• Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli: Third and fifth respectively
• Pato O'Ward: Seventh fastest with 116 laps for McLaren
• Alpine newcomer Paul Aron: Matched teammate Jack Doohan's pace with 121 laps
• Esteban Ocon: Completed over 100 laps in his Haas debut

Liam Lawson recorded the highest lap count with 159, potentially his final appearance for RB amid speculation of replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull. Yuki Tsunoda had his first Red Bull test, completing 127 laps.

American driver Jak Crawford made his Aston Martin debut, setting a 1m24.997 time, slightly ahead of Felipe Drugovich. The test day saw minimal interruptions, with only brief yellow flags for debris clearance and a late red flag for barrier inspection.

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